Delaware Gov. John Carney (D) has won the Democratic nomination to become the next mayor of Wilmington, according to Decision Desk HQ.
Carney took the unusual step of seeking a lower-level office with him being unable to seek a third term as governor after serving since 2017. He defeated former state Treasurer Velda Jones-Potter to win the nomination.
Carney will seek to succeed incumbent Mayor Mike Purzycki (D), who decided against running for a third term this year. He previously served as lieutenant governor for eight years and as a U.S. House member representing Delaware’s at-large district for six years.
“I’ve learned a lot and one of the things I’ve learned is that in order for the state of Delaware to be successful, the city of Wilmington has to be successful as a cultural hub and as the business hub,” Carney told a local news outlet upon launching his campaign. “That’s just a such an important part of our state.”
No Republican is running for mayor, so Carney is virtually guaranteed to win the November general election.
